Device for removing foreign matter from belts



Oct. 1, 1940. H. J. THORNTON 2,216,304

DEVICE FOB. REMOVING FOREIGN MATTER FROM BELTS Filed April 26, 1939 29v2&. 2g 1); Z 37 L Harvey l m (fl/bl Patented Oct. 1, 1940 PATENT OFFICEDEVICE FOR REMOVING FOREIGN MATTER FROM BELTS Harvey J. Thornton, Dover,N. J.

Application April 26,

1 Claim.

This invention relates to a belt cleaning device. It has been proposedto clean conveyor belts of foreign matter by the use of revolving armswhich periodically strike the exterior of the belt for shaking looseforeign matter, but in these types of construction the foreign matter isperiodically beaten into the belt while the portions which are shakenoff the belt clog the bearings and revolving parts of the agitators andit is then necessary to stop the machinery in order to clean the brushesor agitators together with the bearings before the operation of theconveyor belt can be resumed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a belt cleaningdevice in the form of an agitator which will periodically tap the innerface of a traveling conveyor causing the foreign matter to be loosenedand thrown away from the belt while the bearings and agitators aremaintained ina position where the foreign matter cannot fall upon themoving parts of the agitators.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a device which islocated between the moving sections of a conveyor belt and close to thelower moving section so that when the cleaning device is operated theinterior face of the lower section of the conveyor will be periodicallytapped throughout the full width for causing the foreign matter whichhas clung to the belt to be thrown downwardly and away not only from themoving belt, but from all of the moving parts of the cleaning device andalso the operating elements of the conveyor.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a cleaning devicefor endless traveling conveyors on which materials are carried with thematerials having a tendency to stick to the belt and thus interfere withthe proper operation of the conveyor, the device consisting of aplurality of arms equipped with rollers located in such a position thatthe rollers will periodically contact the inner surface of the lowersection of the traveling conveyor for loosening and for causing theforeign matter sticking to the conveyor to be thrown away from thetraveling conveyor whereby the foreign matter clinging to the conveyorwill never come into contact with the arms, rollers or bearingssupporting the arms.

This invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description, in view of the accompanying drawingforming a part of the specification.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a side view of the cleaning device 1939, Serial No. 270,221

constructed according to the principles of my invention.

Figure 2 is a transverse vertical section taken along the line 22 ofFigure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged horizontal section taken along the line 33 ofFigure 1.

Figure 4 is a horizontal section taken along the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, [0 designates a pair ofstandards having bearings II at their upper ends in which is mounted adriven shaft |2. This shaft is driven in any suitable manner, not shown.

A pulley or drum 3 is keyed to the shaft l2 and a traveling conveyor,generally designated by the numeral I4, is trained on the driving druml3 and also on a similarly constructed drum at the opposite end of theconveyor. The last idling drum, however, is not shown.

A pair of idling rollers i5 and I6, supported in any approved manner,engage respectively the inner and outer faces of the upper and lowersections IT and I8 of the conveyor I4. These rollers, as is usual,support the section of the conveyor at spaced points.

A perforated pipe 20 is adapted to be connected to a source of waterunder pressure so that it will continuously spray water on the outerface of the lower section l8 of the conveyor M during the operation ofthe conveyor for thoroughly washing the surface of the belt after themain body of foreign matter has been removed.

A pair of bearings 2| are located at the opposite edges of the conveyorl4 and outwardly therefrom. Each bearing is slidably mounted in astandard 23 which has a horizontal flange 24. These flanges have apassage 25 to receive the smooth portion of a screw 26 which is threadedinto a vertical passage 21 of the bearing 2|. An operating handle 28 issecured to the outer end of the screw 26 and a collar 29 secured to thel screw at opposite faces of the flange 24 maintains the screw againstvertical movement when the screw is revolved for raising or lowering thebearing 2|.

The bearings 2| have lateral flanges 30 received within a guide 3|formed at the opposite edges of the standards 23 so that the hearingswill be maintained in a predetermined position during vertical movementson. the standards.

A shaft 32 is carried by the bearings 2| and the opposite ends of theshaft project through elongated openings 33 formed in the standards 23.One end of the shaft 32 is provided with a sprocket 34 which has a hub35 keyed at 36 to the shaft. A chain 3'! is trained on the sprocket 34and likewise on a sprocket 38 secured to the shaft I2 outwardly of thedrum or pulley l3.

A pair of hubs 40 are secured to the shaft 32 adjacent the outer edgesof the traveling conveyor Id and these hubs have diametrically disposedarms 4|. Each arm has an enlargement 42 at its outer free end to receivea bearing 43 for the ends of a shaft 44 carrying a roller 45. Theserollers when revolved move through an arc of a circle which cuts throughthe lower section l8 of the conveyor 14 so that the rollers willrepeatedly strike the inner facev Instead of the chain and sprocketsshown at 34, 31 and 38, pulleys, a belt may be employed to obtain thesame result.

The operation of my device is as follows:

When the conveyor belt is being operated by the pulley l3 and the shaft[2 the sprocket 38 will operate the chain 31 which in turn rotates thesprocket 3d and the shaft 32. The speed of rotation of the shaft andlikewise the rate of revolution of the arms 4| depends upon the. size ofthe sprocket 34 and the speed of the shaft 12. However, the speed of theshaft 32 may be controlled by a transmission which is well known in thearts.

When the arms M are revolved the rollers 45 will periodically contactthe inner face of the lower section ill of the traveling conveyor I4 andthus the conveyor will be subjected to a plurality of beats by therollers 45 which are loosely mounted in the bearings 43 so that noabrasive action will be had upon the belt. Furthermore, these rollersmay be made of rubber or some composition in order to eliminate theabrasive action and thus prolong the life of the traveling conveyor M.

The repeated tapping of the belt by the rollers Q5 loosens and thenremoves the foreign matter which sticks to the conveyor belt in advanceof the spray of water from the perforated pipe 29. The spraying of thebelt removes all fine particles which would have a tendency to stick tothe belt after the cleaning action by the rollers 45.

It will be noted that the operating mechanism for the rollers 45 islocated beyond the confines of the belt l4 and above the lower sectionl8 of the belt so that when the belt is beaten by the rollers theforeign matter will be thrown downwardly and will not collect upon anyof the operating parts of the rollers. Furthermore, the cleaner orbeater for the belt is an independent unit and can be assembled ordisassembled as desired without disturbing any of the operation of theconveyor belt [4.

A container or small conveyor may be placed below the lower section IQof the conveyor belt M to carry away the foreign matter which has beenremoved from the conveyor M.

The force exerted by the rollers $5 on the inner face of the lowersection l8 of the conveyor belt M is controlled by the screws 26 whichare adjusted to raise or lower the shaft 32 so that where a greater orless force is required to remove the foreign matter from the belt thiscan be readily done by raising or lowering the bearings 2| for the shaft32.

I claim:

A belt cleaner comprising a shaft passing transversely between thesections of a belt trained on a pair of pulleys, a pair of rollersdiametrically disposed relative to the shaft, radial arms extending fromthe shaft and supporting the rollers. said rollers being located betweenthe sections of the belt and adapted to contact the inner face of onesection of the belt, means supporting the shaft at the opposite sideedges of the belt, means rotating the shaft and revolving the rollersaround said shaft in periodic whipping contact with the.inner face ofthe belt so that said rollers will be constantly spun, means engagingthe outer face of the belt and support ing the belt at transverse pointsadjacent to the points of whipping contact between the rollers and theinner face of the belt, and means adjustably positioning the shaft forcontrolling the degree of contact between the rollers and the belt andthe speed of rotation of said rollers.

HARVEY J. THORNTON.

